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‘Killer Bees’ Found in the Bay Area for the First Time
KSBW ^ | Sep 28, 2015

Posted on 09/29/2015 10:31:28 AM PDT by nickcarraway

An Africanized breed of honeybees, sometimes known as “killer bees” because of its swarming, aggressive and deadly nature when its colony is threatened, has found its way to the Bay Area for the first time, researchers say.

The bees were found in a Lafayette subdivision called Reliez Valley, near the southeast side of Briones Regional Park, by UC San Diego researchers who have been tracking the bees’ movement throughout the state.

Until now, the bees had been detected only as far north as Mariposa County in California’s more inland Central Valley, but are likely attracted by the Bay Area’s warming temperatures.

Joshua Kohn, a professor of biology at UC San Diego, said it is hard to tell at this point how many of the bees there are in the area.


TOPICS: Local News; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: bees; killerbees; pests; wildlife
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To: MIchaelTArchangel

I used to live in LaFayette where they found the bees. Not everyone in that area is gay.


21 posted on 09/29/2015 11:58:51 AM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: Hot Tabasco

They are very aggressive in defense of their hive, when out foraging they are just like any other honeybee.
You just have to learn to keep the Africanized hives away from any areas where you are going to be operating any power equipment; (mowers, weed whips, chainsaws, tractors, etc.), otherwise they are very productive little buggers, and like any good capitalist, very protective of the fruits of their labor.
Just remember to suit up completely when working with Africanized hives, (I use Tyvec, yellow chemical resistant coveralls) and a bee hood.
Use black neoprene gloves and tape up the wrists; don’t use leather gloves, for some reason they really HATE leather and they can sting right through it.


22 posted on 09/29/2015 12:00:26 PM PDT by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
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To: Hot Tabasco; nickcarraway; miele man
Hot Tabasco:" An Africanized breed of honeybees "

An Africanized breed of honeybee queens that escaped from an experimental lab and mixed in with the native Brazilian bee population.
The resulting bees are hybrids
The two charcteristics for which these Africanized bees are known :
#1 They swarm 3-4 times a year ; whereas native bees swarm only once.
#2 When easily riled (loud noise/thunderstorms/rain/etc.) they become aggressive and sting in large multiple numbers; frequently in the hundreds .
Deaths occur from the hundreds of stings (horses, cows , humans , dogs , etc....)

23 posted on 09/29/2015 12:01:58 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (The GOPe and Karl Rove got Obama elected twice. .. How'd that work out for ya ?)
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To: nickcarraway

Instead of tracking them, the bee huggers should have been killing them.


24 posted on 09/29/2015 12:12:04 PM PDT by bgill ( CDC site, "we still do not know exactly how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: 5th MEB
5th MEB:" Use black neoprene gloves and tape up the wrists; don’t use leather gloves, for some reason they really HATE leather and they can sting right through it."

They and regular bees dont like anything fuzzey
Don't wear wool, or flannel shirt when around any bees.
They seem to be more aggressive around dark colors .
Most bee equipment is called 'sting resistant', not 'sting proof'.
You are exactly right about use of taping up the glove wrists , and where your pants meet your boots (or use rubber bands).

25 posted on 09/29/2015 12:12:25 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (The GOPe and Karl Rove got Obama elected twice. .. How'd that work out for ya ?)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
They and regular bees dont like anything fuzzey

They don't like other bees? How do they get along sharing that hive?

26 posted on 09/29/2015 12:14:05 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Amish bees!


27 posted on 09/29/2015 12:19:12 PM PDT by loungitude (The truth hurts.)
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To: nickcarraway
nickcarraway:" They don't like other bees? How do they get along sharing that hive? "

Each hive has a queen, and as she goes about laying eggs in the hive, all the bees share this scent .
This scent identifies all the bees in that hive as ' members of the family', and so they all get along.
Enter another bee ,even another 'killer bee' with a different scent, and the hive will attack/kill it.
The aggressivenes ,honey productivity, size of the hive , and frequency of laying eggs is all dependent on the queen , and her scent.

28 posted on 09/29/2015 12:31:22 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (The GOPe and Karl Rove got Obama elected twice. .. How'd that work out for ya ?)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

But they what about bees from their own hive? They are all fuzzy.


29 posted on 09/29/2015 12:33:02 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway
nickcarraway :" ..what about bees from their own hive? They are all fuzzy"

It's all about the scent , ..unless the other bees are all wearing flannel, then its every bee for itself.
You might be thinking of bumblebees which are fuzzey , but they are solitary, and don't live a hive.

30 posted on 09/29/2015 12:39:19 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (The GOPe and Karl Rove got Obama elected twice. .. How'd that work out for ya ?)
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To: nickcarraway

Add in SF illegals problem and I’m thinking of the old Sat. Night killer bees bit


31 posted on 09/29/2015 1:39:05 PM PDT by tophat9000 (King G(OP)eorge III has no idea why the Americans Patriots are in rebellion... teach him why)
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To: bgill
Instead of tracking them, the bee huggers should have been killing them.

With the alleged deaths of honey bees throughout this country due to mysterious circumstances, these bees should be allowed to roam.............

32 posted on 09/29/2015 3:38:54 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (<i>)
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